The International Finance Corporation (IFC), Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group), and Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) have unveiled the Nigeria Gender Country Program (NGCP).

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The initiative was designed to accelerate gender inclusion, expand women’s economic participation, and drive inclusive growth across Nigeria’s private sector.

The development was announced during a high-level virtual CEO Roundtable that brought together chief executives and senior business leaders from NGX-listed companies, IFC client organisations, and LCCI member companies ahead of the programme’s formal launch.

Industry stakeholders believe the initiative will strengthen efforts to close gender gaps in leadership, employment, entrepreneurship, and access to economic opportunities, while supporting broader private-sector competitiveness and sustainable economic development.

What they are saying: 

Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama, said gender inclusion should be viewed as an economic growth strategy rather than a corporate social responsibility obligation.

  • He noted that narrowing gender disparities could unlock significant economic value for Nigeria while improving business productivity and competitiveness.
  • “Gender inclusion is fundamentally an economic growth imperative. Closing gender gaps can unlock billions of dollars in value for Nigeria while strengthening business performance and national competitiveness.” 
  • “We must move beyond viewing inclusion as a corporate social responsibility initiative or compliance exercise and instead recognise it as a strategic driver of productivity, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.” 

Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NGX Group, Temi Popoola, described the programme as a platform for expanding women’s participation in the economy through stronger collaboration among businesses, development institutions, and market stakeholders.

He said the initiative would help improve women’s access to leadership positions, quality jobs, finance, technology, and markets.

  • “The Nigeria Gender Country Program presents a significant opportunity to deepen impact and accelerate progress across corporate Nigeria.” 
  • “By expanding women’s access to leadership opportunities, quality employment, finance, technology, and markets, we can unlock substantial economic value while building a more competitive, inclusive, and resilient private sector.” 
  • Also speaking, IFC Head of Office in Lagos, Christian Mulamula, highlighted the economic costs of gender inequality and the business benefits of inclusion.
  • According to him, gender inequality costs Africa trillions of dollars in lost productivity and economic opportunities.

He noted that the NGCP would focus on practical and measurable actions that improve business performance while advancing inclusive growth.

Meanwhile, Director-General of LCCI, Chinyere Almona, stressed that successful implementation would depend on leadership accountability and long-term commitment from business executives.

More insights: 

The Nigeria Gender Country Program is anchored on three strategic priorities:

  • Increasing women’s representation in leadership and decision-making positions.
  • Improving access to quality employment opportunities for women.
  • Expanding access to productive assets, including finance, technology, and markets for women-led businesses.
  • The initiative builds on previous gender-focused programmes and seeks to create a coordinated framework that brings together regulators, development institutions, business leaders, and the organised private sector to scale impact nationwide.

The partners are expected to formally launch the programme at a physical event scheduled for July 9, 2026.

What you should know

The Nigeria Gender Country Program builds on the foundation laid by the Nigeria2Equal initiative, a multi-stakeholder programme led by IFC in partnership with NGX Group to reduce gender gaps across leadership, employment, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s private sector.

  • Nigeria2Equal brought together leading Nigerian companies to make measurable commitments aimed at increasing women’s participation as leaders, employees, and entrepreneurs within corporate value chains.
  • According to IFC, reducing gender inequality in Nigeria could significantly boost economic growth, with earlier estimates indicating that narrowing gender gaps could add billions of dollars to the country’s GDP.
  • NGX Group has played a central role in advancing gender-inclusive business practices through partnerships with IFC, research initiatives, peer-learning platforms, and market-wide advocacy programmes.
  • The exchange has previously worked with IFC and other stakeholders to promote women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, workplace inclusion, and sustainable finance across corporate Nigeria.

The new NGCP is expected to consolidate these efforts into a broader country-level platform focused on delivering measurable outcomes for women and women-led businesses across Nigeria’s economy.